


New Beginnings

by VGal



Category: Don't Starve (Video Game)
Genre: F/M, Implied Sexual Content, Pre-Canon, Romance, William as Maxwell
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-07-19
Updated: 2014-07-19
Packaged: 2018-02-09 11:34:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,677
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1981374
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/VGal/pseuds/VGal
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The way her eyes would light up at his tricks—the way all of their faces would light up—made William feel as though he were on top of the world. And it felt <em>good</em> to be the king, for once in his life. But it wasn’t until recently that he had wanted to share that world with someone…someone like Charlie.</p>
            </blockquote>





	New Beginnings

**Author's Note:**

> This fic was written for the prompt "First Kiss." Which was perfect, really, because I've been wanting to write something about how William's and Charlie's relationship began. It also gave me the chance to explore William's Maxwell persona a bit before the events of Don't Starve.

It had been a busy few weeks for William, but it was possibly the most wonderful and successful few weeks of his career. _The Amazing Maxwell_ had really taken San Francisco by storm it seemed, and he had little-to-no trouble securing more of the highly sought after venues for his show. William was thrilled. No, thrilled didn’t quite cover his excitement or expectations, he was ecstatic. Finally, he was able to really afford all of his hotel and living expenses with little room for worry, even acquiring a more posh room until he found a permanent residence.

And then there was Charlie… His sweet, lovely, _beautiful_ assistant Charlie. Thinking of her never ceased to bring a youthful smile to his face, just being with her made him feel like a schoolboy again. There was no doubting her contribution to his success—the audience loved her, too. She was a pretty distraction for his _illusions_ , but William thought of her as more than just window dressing for the show. Charlie had become an irreplaceable part of his act, and he couldn’t imagine it or him without her. His success was also her success. She was a hard working gal and a foreigner much like himself in this country. William wanted her to be just as happy as he was. That’s why he had decided to give her a little _appreciation_ bonus with her usual portion of the show’s profits.  

He had invited her to meet him at his room at the Palace Hotel, where he intended to surprise her with it. He was really looking forward to seeing that bright smile once he did; Charlie’s smile was a thing of beauty, and there were times he thought that he would do anything just to see it. The way her eyes would light up at his tricks—the way everyone's eyes would light up—made William feel as though he were on top of the world. And it felt _good_ to be the king, for once in his life. But it wasn’t until recently that he had wanted to share that world with someone…someone like Charlie.

“A whole forty dollars, Maxy?!” Charlie exclaimed, face lit up just as he knew it would be. He had never given her this much money at one time, but this past month had been an exceptionally good run. Still, she had become accustomed to her weekly amount of seven dollars—which, to her, was more generous than her previous employer—and was not expecting a whopping forty dollars to be handed to her. Charlie didn’t know what to say, but it was easy to see she was excited about it. William really was full of surprises, she thought.

“You’ve earned it, doll.” He said with a pleased smile, hoping she might return it. His _little_ bonus seemed to come as more of a shock than a surprise to her, but that was just as well, he supposed. _Maxwell_ was nothing if not astounding and mysterious. “You really class up the act. I don’t know how I got along without you.”

 “Oh, stop…” Charlie said with a giggle—a light, tinkling sound that made William’s heart skip a beat—and playfully waved him off. Though a blush rose on her cheeks when she looked up at him, more seriously this time, and she was wearing that smile he loved. “You really are amazing, you know that…and sweet.”

Charlie then took a step forward, closing the gap between them, reaching up with her left arm to tug at the shoulder of his jacket. She pulled him down to her, lifting herself up on the balls of her feet to plant a soft kiss on his cheek. William flushed a little at her close proximity, but didn’t miss a beat. Because when _Maxwell_ saw an opportunity, he didn’t let it pass him by, he took it! His right arm went for Charlie’s waist, pulling her close against his tall body…but then he hesitated.

“Max…” Charlie’s tone sounded playful, if not a bit excited. That bright smile had curled into a grin now, and she was looking up at him expectantly through half-lidded eyes.

William swallowed, unsure. He had never been this forward with a woman before, but if he was reading Charlie’s signals correctly—in that she was smiling and not pulling away—she seemed to be into it. He returned that grin, gathering his nerves, and then bent in close to gently press his lips to hers. Charlie met his kiss eagerly, a slight moan escaping her when the hold on her waist tightened. Her arms instinctively reached up to grip at the front of his waistcoat. But then William broke their kiss suddenly…

“Charlie, I…” He began, uncertainty rearing its ugly head in his thoughts, taking a small step back. _GAH_ —what was wrong with him? This was what he had wanted, right? He had wanted to kiss her, to feel her soft, slender body pressed against him. But he couldn’t escape the lingering doubt in his mind that he was somehow…inadequate for Charlie, not to mention much older than she was. He couldn’t make her happy, not in the long run…could he?

“Something wrong, Max?” Charlie asked when he pulled away suddenly, feeling a bit confused. They were _getting along_ so swimmingly a moment ago, and she was very interested in continuing to do so. She had grown rather fond of William ever since coming to work for him; he was a gentleman and quite charming, even when he wasn’t trying to impress her…or others. She thought he was a real sweetheart, and when she took notice of the way he would sometimes look at her—she wasn’t foolish—she thought that there were possibly sparks between them. Charlie liked that thought, but he had never really acted on it until now. “Is it…me?” She ventured, hoping it wasn’t her…or some other woman.

William met her gaze instantly at that. “Oh no, doll. You’re perfect.” He tried to play off his indecisiveness in a nonchalant manner, but wasn’t entirely sure if it was working. He couldn’t leave it at that, though; it would be unfair to Charlie, who was clearly bewildered by his change in behavior. He stepped toward her, resuming their previous closeness, to place his hands tenderly on either side of her shoulders. “I’m…I’m too old for a beautiful gal like you. You deserve someone who can make you happy.” There was a bit more to it than that, but there was no denying their obvious age difference. He was forty-seven, old enough to be her father, really, and Charlie… Charlie was a young girl of twenty-two. She deserved better than an old man.

“Is that what’s bothering you?” She said with a smile, as if it were of no consequence. Which, as far as Charlie was concerned, it wasn’t. She was in love with William, and was pretty certain he felt the same way about her. She took a small step forward so that she was flush against him once more, her smile resuming its former playfulness, and looked up at him. “I’m not a child, Maxy.” Charlie began, reaching up to take hold of his forearms. “I know what I want.” And then she guided those arms back around her waist so that William was holding her again. “And I want you.”

She then took him by the lapels of his jacket and, standing on her tiptoes, pulled him down into another soft kiss. And William didn’t resist, didn’t want to either. It excited him beyond measure that she could be remotely interested in a man like him, and he found that his confidence was swiftly returning. William might not have been able to please a woman like Charlie, but there was no doubting that _Maxwell_ could. He pressed his lips firmly against hers this time, arms holding her tightly against him when he did. And when her arms slid upward to wrap around his neck, he grew bolder.

“Do you want me, Charlie?” He breathed hotly against her lips. He needed to hear her say it again, but was confident in what her answer would be.

“Yes…” She barely had time to breathe before his mouth descended on hers again, not that Charlie minded in the slightest. William was the first man Charlie had ever been this attracted to; there were maybe a couple that caught her interest in the past, but it was fleeting, and she had never felt like this about them. She felt as though she were melting in his embrace, sighing deeply into their kiss when she felt his fingers slide to her thighs.

“Do you want me to make love to you?” Came his heated whisper once more, and he turned his head to trail kisses along the underside of her jawline.

“ _Yes_ , Maxy…” His words and the tone with which he uttered them sent a rush of arousal through her, an intense, electrical sensation that tingled along her spine. “I want you.” Charlie breathed lustfully against his ear.

And that was all that William needed to hear. He then bent to hook his left arm under those slender, shapely legs, lifting her bridal style, to carry her over to the bed. “Max!” He heard her giggle with delight as he scooped her up, arms still entwined about his neck. Yes, Maxwell. Maxwell was all of the things William could only dream of being. He was sophisticated and charming, with just the right amount of mystery to allure anyone. It was Maxwell who could get a girl like Charlie, not William.

“I’m all yours, doll.” He said smoothly, passionately, grinning as he laid her gently down on the edge of the bed. He then pinned her there for another heated kiss, his right hand coming up to brush through her dark hair. And when he felt her going for his jacket, taking hold of either side to slide it past his shoulders, _Maxwell_ smiled.


End file.
